Go Back
almost finished pork belly burnt ends

Cherry Cola Pork Belly Burnt Ends with Sweet BBQ Glaze

These cherry cola pork belly burnt ends feature a unique two-step cooking process that first smokes pork belly cubes, then braises them in sweet cherry cola BBQ sauce for fall-apart tender results. The cherry cola adds fruity sweetness while creating a beautiful caramelized glaze that makes these burnt ends absolutely irresistible.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • - 3-4 lbs pork belly cut into 1.5-2 inch cubes
  • - 3 tablespoons BBQ dry rub
  • - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
  • - 1 cup cherry cola
  • - ½ cup honey
  • - ½ cup BBQ sauce
  • - ¼ cup brown sugar for sauce
  • - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar optional
  • - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • - ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • - Wood chips apple or cherry
  • - Apple juice for spritzing

Method
 

  1. Cut pork belly into cubes, season with BBQ rub, and rest 30 minutes. Make cherry cola BBQ sauce by simmering all sauce ingredients 10-15 minutes until thickened.
  2. Smoke seasoned pork cubes at 275°F for 2 hours, spritzing every 30 minutes with apple juice.
  3. Transfer smoked pork to foil pan, add brown sugar, butter, and cherry cola BBQ sauce. Cover tightly with foil.
  4. Braise covered for 1 hour or until fork-tender (195-205°F internal temperature).
  5. Remove foil, increase heat to 325°F, and cook 10-15 minutes until glazed and caramelized.
  6. Rest 5-10 minutes before serving hot with additional sauce and pickles.

Notes

- Choose pork belly with good marbling for best results
- Don't skip spritzing - it builds flavor layers and prevents drying
- Internal temperature should reach 195-205°F for optimal tenderness
- Sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!